A Darkening Sea
by 4llamas
Summary: Lovino grew up in a small town on the edge of a busy harbor. It was just him, his brother Feliciano and his neighbors. At least it was until a pirate ship decided to stop by for a visit. Now Lovino must cope with his new life on board The Elizabeta filled with rapists, murderers and psychopaths. Oh and did I forget to mention the war between the different pirate gangs? Then to top
1. A Darkening Sea

The sun sank behind the tall brick buildings as the moon slowly rose to take its place in the sky. The harbor was filled with people delivering packages and transporting goods. Maidens Harbor was known for its busy and sleepless work ethic as people were always arriving from exotic places such as France or Spain or India. Lovino walked down the crowded street, dodging past loaded carts and fishermen returning from a hard days work. Stopping at a cart that apparently sold odds and ends such as lace scarves from France and old teacups from England, Lovino gazed at one particular item. A wooden paintbrush with a finely carved design along the wooden stick and what looked like whales hair gleamed up at him. If only he had the nine cents needed to get it, his brother Feli would be so happy. "Oy! What're you lookin at mate? Scurry off before I beat'ya out'a hear myself! Filthy rats always tryna steal my goods!" Lovino held up his hands and bowed his head apologetically.

People like him, young thin and poor, were always deemed steelers or pick pocketers just because they looked like they couldn't hold a job of "sustenance". These jobs usually pertained to fishing, heavy lifting of any kind, farming, and selling. Lovino would be working in a small apothecary if his parents hadn't recently died and the store was given to the Italian government. Now, he worked for the church. It wasn't much of a job, just cleaning and occasionally assisting the pastor with small jobs.

As he turned away from the cart with the paintbrush, a scream sounded from down the street. Lovino jumped, looking around for any sign as to who the person was or why they were screaming. Sometimes Lovino caught men raping women in alleyways or behind buildings and once he witnessed a murder. It was a quick death. One large man was attempting to rob another and when the other fought back he panicked and stabbed him in the heart. It was so quick Lovino had no time to react to help in any way, for the man was off before he knew it.

But what caught Lovino's attention about this scream the most was that it was heard over the loud ruckus of the crowded harbor. This scream was high pitched and blood curdling. Other people were looking around too, worry in their eyes. A gasp to Lovino's right brought his attention to a man with what looked like a son by his side. The man stared past him out into the water. Following his gaze, Lovino found a large ship, the biggest ship he's ever seen, with white sails and a blood red stripe along the edge sailing into the harbor. More and more people eventually recognized the unusually large ship and quickly grabbed their belongings to bolt for the main city. Lovino stood in his place amongst the panicking crowd confused. He yelled over the noise to the cart keeper, "what's happening?" The man looked out to sea with recognition in his eye. "No. It can't be...Them bloody bastards think they can follow me eh?" The man mumbled to himself, quickly stuffing everything into smaller boxes for safety. The man must've not heard him and Lovino repeated his question, growing more curious and scared by the second. The man looked up at him as if just noticing him there. "It's the Elizabeta! The Spanish pirate ship? Haven't you ever heard the stories, boy?" Lovino shook his head. "Well I'll tell you this, if you don't get out'a here fast, they'll steal everything you got and won't let you live to see another day. Run kid, before they get ya!" Lovino's eyes went wide. Looking back out to sea and the huge mass getting closer and closer with its billowing sails and ominous feel, he stumbled back into the growing crowd, desperately trying to get home to Feli. He just needed to be with him.

From behind him a large crash was heard and he briefly turned around to see bricks flying everywhere, raining down on people like a hailstorm. "Run kid! Now!" The merchant yelled over the screams of pain. Lovino looked towards the man now, suitcases filled with his products in each hand.

"Look out!" Lovino yelled, diving to the side. But he spoke too late as something flung directly into the man's back sending him and a shower of blood everywhere. Blood soaked his crouching figure and he shook in fear. A metallic smell invaded his nostrils and a ringing filled his head. Everything went dizzy for a moment as some of the mans' intestines lay across from him on the ground.

A shoe flung into his side, sending him sprawling onto the ground as a man was running from the harbor. Shock and pain mixed together within him to form into the brown, foul liquid pouring from his mouth. Another shoe, this one a women's, stepped on his hand with a crunch. "Ahh!" He yelled shuffling himself over beside the once occupied sails cart. He clutched his hand to his chest, the other holding his stomach. He still felt sick and in shock but the running people all around him influenced him to stand.

He had to get to Feli.

He stumbled across the busy street into the building complex. Leaning on a wall, he watched as a large grey ball was flung from the side of the ship into the crowd in front of him. He ducked instinctively as fear consumed him. The cannon ball, with speed unlike anything he's ever seen, flew over him and made contact with a group of men and women trying to drag up their packages. They lay now on the ground, some looking unconscious, others with wounds too big to live through. His heart stopped as he watched their blood spill from their gaping mouths. He stumbled back but was pushed by sprinting people. They left their earnings behind as they darted through the crowd, stepping on anyone that got in their way. Lovino stumbled and tripped to the edge of the crowd, diving for a nearby ally. A small kid crouched there watching fearfully at the scene unfolding in front of him. Lovino crouched beside the boy and looked out at the crowd. It was unreal. Never had he seen so many people in such a rush to leave somewhere. And never had he seen more destruction. Another cannon ball crashed into a brick building, bringing down the front foundation completely. Fires erupted from inside buildings and in hay piles as torches and candles were dropped in the people's haste.

Lovino looked at the boy beside him. Upon closer inspection he noticed the boy was silently crying. He seemed to be in shock as he didn't seem to notice Lovino beside him. He just stared in front of him. Lovino shook the boy's arm in what he hoped would be a comforting gesture. When the boy didn't respond, Lovino followed his gaze to a crushed cart. Underneath, a woman with brown matted hair gazed towards the boy with absent eyes and mouth hung open in a perfect circle. Snail trails marked her cheeks and her hand lay motionless on the ground as if her last moment alive was spent reaching for her son. Tears fell from Lovino's eyes as he gazed at her.

Looking back to the boy, sniffling hard, he made a vow to the mother silently that he will protect her son. He had to.

At that moment a cannon ball headed for their alley and Lovino dove for the boy, clutching him to his chest and turning away from the opening just as the ball hit the corner of one of the buildings. Bricks flung away and hit his back painfully but the cannon ball continued its destructive path by falling into the screaming crowd. After what felt like an eternity, Lovino shakily turned around to scan the scene with the boy clutching his body fearfully. The cannon ball had cut though the crowd like one would cut a cake, slicing through the mass and leaving two separate chunks on either side of the cut. People tripped over one another, held one another and cried for one another as more and more people were injured or killed.

Lovino looked out to the darkening water and to the large ship with its terrifying white sails. Small boats full of pirates were rowing towards the harbor as the cannons continued raining death and destruction upon the land.

The boy in his arms clutched at his frontside, burying his face in the dirty clothes and staining them with his tears. "Hey it's alright. We have to get out of here. What's your name?" The small boy removed his face from his body for a brief moment to respond with, in a shaky and stuttering breath, "M-Marcelo." He promptly dug his face back into his hip, sobbing louder. Lovino looked around in case of any immediate dangers and then bent down, holding the kid at arms length. "Marcelo, we are in danger and need to get out of here right now. Think you can do that?" After years of calming Feliciano down after he was upset over something, Lovino had practically mastered how to talk to crying kids. Marcelo heard the serious yet gentle tone in his voice and the crying lessened. He nodded slowly and wiped his eyes. "Good, now we have to find a way-"

"Well what do we 'ave 'ere?" Someone purred from behind Lovino. With a startled yelp, Lovino turned around, Marcelo plastering himself to his legs. Lovino glared up at the smirking stranger who stood too comfortably in the chaotic mess for his liking.

"Back off or I swear I'll-"

"You'll what?" The smirk left the others face and a dark glint in his eye made Lovino freeze in terror. "My apologies, where 'ave my manners gone to? Such a pretty boy like you should be addressed with the 'ighest formalities." The man smiled a charming smile, leaning on the brick building next to him and flipping his long blond hair back away from his face. With his arm temporarily raised at the action, Lovino caught sight of a gleaming sword hanging from his hip. Lovino stepped back, locking his arms out at his sides to shield the little boy. The man saw this and looked down at said sword. "Oh this little thing? I won't dare 'arm you with it. Promise."

With bored motions, the man stood up from the wall and sauntered closer, eyeing Lovino's body uncomfortably. "Delicious." He muttered to himself, eyes hungry.

"You're sinful and disgusting. Back off bastard or I'll rip you apart with my bare hands!" Lovino growled, giving him his meanest glare. The other merely smirked more, moving ever closer. "Oh I'd love for you to tear into my body so sinfully. The fighters are always the best." It took a moment for Lovino to figure out what he meant by that and was repulsed. In the heat of the moment Lovino chanced to dash around the other but in one swift motion the other had the silver polished blade at his neck. "I wouldn't if I were you." The other man breathed, his mouth next to his ear. Lovino gulped, his Adam's apple brushing against the cold surface. With his other hand, the blond pushed Lovino against a wall, sword still firmly held to his throat. Marcelo dashed from behind him and curled into a ball on the other side of the alleyway, shivering fearfully. Lovino sighed inwardly, grateful the kid wasn't near this man.

"Such a pretty face marred by such a horrid scowl. Truly a shame." His face was uncomfortably close and his breath smelt of wine. Lovino dug his head into the brick wall behind him in a sad attempt to get away from the other.

"Oh I-"

"Francis! There you are! Thought you forgot about me! How could you though, I'm unforgettable." Another man with a German accent and a sword of his own rounded the corner. The first thing Lovino noticed was that his hair was as white as the sails of the ship, almost gleaming with the remaining light of the day. And his eyes were as red as blood giving Lovino the impression he was some sort of demon sent to suck his soul. Lovino's eyes widened in fear and he shrunk back further into the wall.

The man walked casually into the alleyway, a large smirk adorning his pale face. "Hey whose this little fella?" He said, stopping at the sight of Marcelo curled up on the other side of the ally. He bent down and ruffled the kids hair, Marcelo flinching at his unwanted touch. "Hey don't touch him you bastard!" Lovino yelled, surprising himself for speaking so boldly in the presence of a demon and a man who was currently holding a sword to his throat. "Oh, feisty one he is. Is this your brother?" The red eyed man asked standing and pointing to Marcelo. Lovino merely shook his head, not daring to speak again in fear of his and Marcelo's lives.

People from outside the alleyway were still running but not from cannonballs, from the pirates themselves. One woman was dragged halfway into the alley by her hair before a fat man with rotten teeth noticed the blond and white haired men. "Oh sorry sirs. Thought this alley was free to use. Looks like you've takin this one though." With that the fat man turned and dragged the flailing and screaming woman to another place down the road. The red eyed man glared harshly at the space the other pirate just left from but seemed to push those feelings aside for the moment. Turning back to the matter at hand, the demon walked up to the pair on the wall. "I found these two 'iding in this alley and wanted to see if they were acceptable. This ones fierce and looks like a strong lad and the other looks fine to be a cleaning boy! Don't you think so Gilbert?" The blond one turned to the other, his hair swaying gracefully in a confusing blond dance. Gilbert walked up to Lovino's face, inspecting every inch before nodding in approval. "Yeah the captain would like him. Take them." And with that the man known as Gilbert spun on his heels and walked out of the alley into the mist of fire and screams of terror, his black cloak swaying behind him, giving the impression he was flying.

The sword was removed and Lovino sagged forward slightly, glancing to Marcelo. They met eyes and Lovino almost cried with how much the kid reminded him of his own brother Feli. What happened to his baby brother? Was he even still alive? Was he safe? These were the thoughts that ran through his head as the butt of the sword met his head.


	2. A New Life

It was dark. That was all he knew as he squinted, the pain in his body noticeable through his sleepy haze as he awoke from his sleep. He felt his head sway dangerously and tried desperately to stop the motion by clutching his head. His arms had a dull ache in them and he slowly curled his fingers, feeling the blood rush back into them. His back was the worse though. Why was he in so much pain?

All of a sudden, the memories rushed back to him making him gasp. The fire, the screams, Marcelo, the flying bricks, the cannon balls, the two men! It was all coming back to him and Lovino wished they hadn't. Tears filled his eyes at the memories of the dreadful night and a soft sob escaped him.

He sat up slowly, his back and muscles protesting the action. Slowly taking in his surroundings, he noticed the hammocks, just like the one he was in, hung all around the small room, all unoccupied. Supplies, half eaten food and dirty clothes scattered the floor and Lovino scrunched up his nose at the rotten smell of... "Onions?"

"Ha! Not quite. Just Heracles' dirty clothes. That man does nothing but sleep and be annoying. Honestly he's a good for nothing little -." The man rambled on about this faceless man named Heracles, leaving a very confused Lovino to wonder, just what was happening and who was this guy?

The man had apparently stopped his ramble and walked up to Lovino. His huge figure intimidating. Lovino shied away into his hammock but the man just laughed. "What you think cause imma pirate that imma hurt you? Please, I only hurt people that need to be hurt. I'm here to make sure you don't jump overboard. The captain likes to meet all newcomers face to face. Now let's get you washed up." The man walked away to the other end of the small room to a wash bin. Lovino eyed the man curiously, noticing his muscular frame, short, choppy brown hair and the facial hair on his chin. Lovino, after a moments thought, slipped out of the hammock and shuffled to the man, the pain in his back worse and his headache growing. Small, circular windows on the walls opened up to the salty air of the vast ocean and the panic inside Lovino grew. He froze next to a window, looking out at the vastness knowing he was probably never going to see Feli ever again. He left him alone at their small hut in the outskirts of town. He was either left alone and wondering where his brother went or he was taken by pirates too.

"Oh. If ya'd woken up earlier you would'a gotten the chance to leave if you really wanted to but you were unconscious." The man said, noticing Lovino staring out of the small window. Lovino turned sharply at the other man despite the pain it caused, anger bubbling in his chest and rippling throughout his entire being. "You're saying that I missed my ONLY chance to go home because no one bothered to wake me up?! That's fucking insane! How the fuck am I supposed to get home now? If you guys would have never come into our harbor, I wouldn't be in this mess and my brother wouldn't be alone and Marcelo's mother wouldn't be dead and I wouldn't be sitting here listening to you tell me that my whole life is ruined! Taken from me just like that!" By the end of his rant, Lovino realized he was screaming at the top of his lungs making his throat scratchy. But that didn't matter. It was only one more thing to add to his growing list of problems. He didn't realize it but he had also been full out crying, the tears running down his face like waterfalls.

The man looked shocked at his outburst and even a bit guilty as he sat with his mouth forming a perfect circle and his eyebrows raised high.

"I-I just... want to go home." Lovino looked to the ground dejectedly, tears still falling freely down his face. The other man walked up to him then, placing warm hands on his shoulders and guiding him to the wash bin. Lovino robotically began to undress, his thoughts only on his little brother and not on the pirate that eyed his thin but muscular frame from behind. Lovino slipped into the warm water, dunking his head under, partly to clean his hair and partly to disappear. Under the water, sounds of the other men working on the ship vanished and even his own thoughts seemed to muffle into the background. He stayed under until his body demanded air, and he slipped out from under the serene comfort the water provided.

The job of bathing Lovino was done in silence, neither man saying a word, Lovino because of his despair and the other man because of guilt. Once Lovino's skin was washed of the grime from the day before, he stood slowly, still in a haze. He could feel the water droplets fall down his skin and it comforted him. That was until the cold of the air surprised him. Lovino hissed at the sudden chill and got dressed. A cough sounded from behind him and he turned as he worked at the buttons on his shirt. The other man was looking away and his cheeks were peppered pink.

Once Lovino was done the man straightened up. "What was your name again?" Lovino asked, wanting to talk to the stranger about something, anything to get his mind off his brother. "Oh yeah! I am called Sadik Adnan." Lovino noticed as he stated his name the foreign accent that glided off his tongue. "Where are you from?" Lovino asked.

"Here." Sadik turned and walked to a set of shaky stairs and climbed them, Lovino trailing behind. "You were born on the ship?" Lovino asked, slightly shocked.

"Everyone here has. Even you."

"No I was born-"

"Look kid. It doesn't matter where you started breathing. That doesn't matter. This ship is your new home and that means your new life begins here. You are born here and you will die here. There is no going back. We are your family."

"My brother is my family you bastard!" Lovino stopped on the stairs, his hands clutched at his sides and shaking with his overwhelming emotions. "And you took him away from me. I was born in Italy and I will find my way back home someday. I will find my brother. I will start a family and I will die. Not on this filthy boat, not with you disgusting pirates and definitely not as a captured man. You cannot keep me here. I will be free! I can promise you this!"

Sadik looked over his shoulder with something unreadable in his eyes and without a word continued up the steps. Lovino stood there thinking over what he just said. Every word was a secret promise to not only Sadik but to himself. He needed to get off of the boat. If not for himself, then for Feli.

Lovino emerged out from the stairs and into the harsh, blinding sunlight above. The main deck was cluttered with carts of supplies and sleeping men. One fat man lay on the floor to Lovino's right with a bottle of whiskey cradled in his arm, drool dripping out of his rotten mouth. Lovino scrunched up his nose in disgust and moved away from the smelly man, only to run into the back of Sadik. "Oof! What're you stopping fo-" Lovino stopped mid sentence when he took in Sadik's stiff form and the silence of the boat in general. When they were in the supplies and storage room below, Lovino heard the laugh of men and the sound of boots and supplies banging above. Now there was nothing but the sound of breathing.

Lovino slowly poked his head around Sadik's large wall of a body. He noticed that the Pirates that were awake were stood similarly to Sadik, stiff and staring straight ahead to a set of elegant stairs that winded upwards to a higher deck. Walking down this set of stairs were two familiar men. One was the blond from the other night and the other was Gilbert. Lovino froze. Fear and anger swelled again within him. There was no sense in being mad at Sadik for what these two men did to him. And who knows what happened to Marcelo. These men were why his life changed. They caused it!

They walked casually and stopped at the bottom of the stairs, each stepping away from the other to stand leisurely on either side of the steps, much like guards would to a king. From the top of the staircase, another man, this one not familiar, stood. He had a large brimmed hat with a giant red feather protruding from the top and a billowing cape hanging from his shoulder cuffs. He walked down, his aura giving off a sense of power and control over the others. When he got to the bottom, Lovino noticed his sun kissed skin that gleamed in the sunlight and his dark, chocolate hair that fell in loose waves around his face. "Today we say goodbye to a valued family member." He said loud and clear, standing tall with his eyes seemingly void of all emotions. "Marcus was introduced into this world as a fighter. Eventually, he grew to love his family and his family grew to love him. Being with us for more than twenty years, he became someone we all look up to and confide in. However now we must let him go. We must lay him down in the endless grave of the sea and pray that she looks after our Marcus. We must pray that she takes care of him and makes him happy." Through the crowd, a body covered in blankets was carried. The body was handed to Lovino but he couldn't bring himself to do it. 'What is going on?' Lovino thought to himself. Sadik reached over him and took the body, handing it to the next person and so on. The body was thrown over the side of the boat and the crowd bowed their heads. "May he be happy where he lay and may he guide us on our journey." The man with the large hat said. And with that the crowd dispersed, everyone going back to work and the chatter picking back up. Sadik grabbed hold of Lovino's shoulder and dragged him forward.

"Hey what're you-!"

"Captain. He's awake. Meet uh..." Sadik said stopping in front of the curly haired man who was apparently captain of the whole ship. Sadik hastily glanced at Lovino and he was tempted to let the man suffer in embarrassment. However, he wouldn't want to make a bad impression on the captain. Maybe he could convince him to take him home?

"I'm Lovino. Lovino Vargas." The man took off his huge hat and set it aside, turning to Lovino. The man couldn't be any older than himself and his eyes were a bright green orb with a certain light to them that Lovino couldn't place. With a big smile, the captain said, "Nice to meet you Lovino! Welcome aboard the famous Elizabeta!" Weren't captains supposed to be mean and scary? This captain seems nice and young and too cheery.

"You're the captain?" Lovino said, accidentally thinking aloud. The man laughed heartily, his smile blinding.

"Sorry I mean- uh..."

"It's fine Lovi! I actually get that a lot. You see my father recently passed and so I inherited the position of captain. However before you go thinking I'm new at this, I've been captaining this ship for two years now and we're more successful then ever before."

"Don't go and pat yourself on the back or anything." Lovino mumbled to himself. The other hearing him loud and clear.

"I don't mean to applaud myself or anything, I just want you to know that you're in good hands."

"Right because taking me from my home and my family and everyone I ever knew was a brilliant decision Captain. I feel completely safe in your care." Sarcasm dripped off of his words and burned the atmosphere like acid, causing a few pirates to look bewildered at him as he talked to the Captain in such a way. He honestly hadn't meant to say this and certainly not so harshly to a captain!

But he just laughed loudly, his eyes crinkling up in the corners. "At least I got to you before the other ships did, right? And I treat my crew members right and fair, unlike others." Lovino knew that the Captain was talking about some rival pirate ships but didn't really care.

"Besides we don't make you stay."

"Lovino looked up hopefully into the man's eyes.

"You mean... I can go home?"

"Well this is your home now but after a year of sailing around the world, visiting other countries, and meeting new people if you still want to go, we won't stop you."

Lovino was filled with unspeakable joy. Just a year with these men and it will all be over. Just one year and he'll come back to Feli. Happy tears filled his eyes and he looked away. He struggled with the emotions swirling through him and couldn't form a proper thank you for the man.

A small smile adorned his face anyways and with a slight bow, the captain walked away, trailed by the other two officers.

He could spend a whole year with these people right?

Right?


End file.
